One-solvent extraction of astaxanthin from lactic acid fermented shrimp wastes

Free astaxanthin one-solvent extractions with ethanol, acetone, and liquid 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane from raw and lactic acid fermented (ensilaged) shrimp residues were investigated. The total carotenoid recovery from ensilaged shrimp wastes was higher than that from non-ensilaged ones as assessed by HPLC analyses. Acetone gave the highest extraction yields of free astaxanthin with up to 115 microg/g of material. Moreover, liquid tetrafluoroethane is reported for the first time in a successful one-solvent extraction of carotenoids from shrimp.     

Advances in Breeding and Rearing Marine Ornamentals

This work addresses the most relevant advances in the breeding and rearing of marine ornamental species. The main breakthroughs in marine ornamental fish culture are discussed, with seahorses deserving a section of their own as a result of their conservation status and unique biology. Details on spawning, embryo development, larval rearing, plankton culturing, and tank design are presented. In addition, with the increase in popularity of ornamental invertebrates in reef aquariums, details on the culturing techniques of some of the most traded invertebrate groups (e.g., live rocks, corals, anemones, polychaetes, mollusks, decapod crustaceans and echinoderms) are also discussed. Finally, the last part of this work highlights the concerns toward the establishment of sustainable collection, production, and trading practices for marine ornamentals as well as the urgent need to develop reliable traceability protocols to distinguish sustainably caught and/or cultured specimens from wild ones. This work represents not only an exhaustive and updated bibliographical source but also a starting point for all those who want to contribute to the development of this fascinating research field.     

Note:Capparimyia savastani (Martelli, 1911): A new record of tephritidae of economic significance for Spain

During a trial in Majorca (Balearic Islands) conducted in 2007 for the detection of parasitoids of the olive flyBactrocera oleae by using yellow sticky traps, a single female of the tephritidaeCapparimyia savastani (Martelli, 1911) was captured. This species had never been recorded previously either in the Balearics or mainland Spain. The larvae of this species feed on the edible flower buds of the common caper (Capparis sp.), thus being a potential pest of this crop. There has not been any previous study of the response of this diptera to the traps and attractants most commonly used in the area for the monitoring of other tephritidae of economic importance, such asB. oleae and the Mediterranean fruit flyCeratitis capitata. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 30, 2008.     

Age-dependent changes in proteins of Drosophila melanogaster

Several molecular theories of aging postulate that there are age-dependent changes in gene expression and that these changes contribute to the reduction in the viability of senescent cells. High-resolution, semiautomated, quantitative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of many soluble proteins was used to test this hypothesis in Drosophila. Two-dimensional protein gel patterns were analyzed for each of three age groups of [(35)S]methionine-labeled adult male Drosophila melanogaster, which, except for their spermatocytes, consist entirely of fixed postmitotic cells. Seven relatively abundant polypeptides expressed in middle-aged (28-day-old) flies were absent in both young(10-day-old) and old (44-day-old) flies. Quantitative analyses of an additional 100 polypeptides were carried out by computer-assisted microdensitometry of fluorograms of the gel preparations. These analyses revealed a significant age-related heterogeneity in the quantitative distribution of radiolabel in these proteins. The data indicate that the qualitative pattern of gene expression is identical in young and old flies, but that profound quantitative changes occur in the expression of proteins during the Drosophila life-span.     

Sap flow of three co-occurring Mediterranean woody species under varying atmospheric and soil water conditions

We studied the seasonal patterns of water use in three woody species co-occurring in a holm oak forest in northeastern Spain. The three species studied, Quercus ilex L., Phillyrea latifolia L. and Arbutus unedo L., constitute more than 99% of the total basal area of the forest. The study period included the dry seasons of 1999 and 2000. Water use was estimated with Granier-type sap flux sensors. Standard meteorological variables, soil water content and leaf water potentials were also monitored. All monitored individuals reduced leaf-related sap flow (Q(l)) during the summer, concurrent with an increase in soil moisture deficit (SMD). Despite similar maximum Q(l) between species, the decline in Q(l) with increasing SMD was species-dependent. The average reduction in Q(l) between early summer and the peak of the drought was 74% for A. unedo (n = 3), 58% for P. latifolia (n = 3) and 87% for Q. ilex (n = 1). The relationship between canopy stomatal conductance (G(s)) and vapor pressure deficit (D) changed during the course of the drought, with progressively lower G(s) for any given D. Summertime reductions of Q(l) and G(s) were associated with between-species differences in vulnerability to xylem embolism, and with the corresponding degree of native embolism (lowest in P. latifolia and highest in Q. ilex). Our results, combined with previous studies in the same area, outlined differences among the species studied in manner of responding to water shortage, with P. latifolia able to maintain water transport at much lower water potentials than the other two species. In an accompanying experiment, A. unedo responded to an experimental reduction in water availability by reducing Q(l) during the summer. This species also modified its water use between years according to the different seasonal patterns of precipitation. These results are discussed in relation to the possible impacts that climate change will have on Q. ilex-dominated forests.     

Influence of wine pH on changes in color and polyphenol composition induced by micro-oxygenation

The presence of oxygen in red wine leads to the transformation of ethanol into ethanal, which after capturing a proton will react with flavanols to start the process of forming ethyl bridges between flavanols and between flavanols and anthocyanins. Wine pH also conditions the equilibrium between the different anthocyanin structures and may thus affect anthocyanin reactivity. Consequently, the aim of this paper was to study how the pH can affect the changes induced by micro-oxygenation in two wines with different phenolic composition. The differences between micro-oxygenated wines and their controls were, in general, greater when the pH was more acidic. Specifically, the differences between micro-oxygenated wines and their corresponding controls in terms of color intensity, anthocyanin concentration, PVPP index, ethyl-linked pigments, B-type vitisins, polymeric pigments, and ethylidene-bridged flavanols were greater at lower pH. In contrast, the effects of micro-oxygenation when the pH was less acidic were much less evident and sometimes practically nonexistent. These results demonstrate for the first time that the pH of the wine has a great influence on oxygen-induced changes of color and phenolic compounds.     

In situ studies of chemistry and structure of materials in reactive environments

Most materials and devices typically operate under specific environmental conditions, many of them highly reactive. Heterogeneous catalysts, for example, work under high pressure of reactants or in acidic solutions. The relationship between surface structure and composition of materials during operation and their chemical properties needs to be established in order to understand the mechanisms at work and to enable the design of new and better materials. Although studies of the structure, composition, chemical state, and phase transformation under working conditions are challenging, progress has been made in recent years in the development of new techniques that operate under a variety of realistic environments. With them, new chemistry and new structures of materials that are only present under reaction conditions have been uncovered.     

Puerarin and conjugate bases as radical scavengers and antioxidants: molecular mechanism and synergism with beta-carotene

The 4'-hydroxyl group of puerarin, a C-glycoside of the isoflavonoid daidzein, was shown, using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation and stopped-flow spectroscopy and by comparison with the 7-propylpuerarin (A ring derivative) and 4'-propylpuerarin (B ring derivative), to be a more efficient radical scavenger as compared to the 7-hydroxyl group by a factor of 2, a difference increasing upon deprotonation. The difference in radical scavenging agreed with the oxidation potentials (cyclic voltammetry in acetonitrile, 0.1 M Bu4NBF4 at 25 degrees C): E/mV=862+/-3 for puerarin, 905+/-10 for 7-propylpuerarin, and 1064+/-2 for 4'-propylpuerarin relative to ferrocene/ferricenium. In aqueous solution, the reduction potential was shown to decrease for increasing pH, and deprotonation of the 4'-hydroxyl group increased radical scavenging more than deprotonation of the 7-hydroxyl group. The 7-hydroxyl was found to be more acidic (pKa1=7.20+/-0.01 in puerarin and pKa=7.23+/-0.01 in 4'-propylpuerarin) than the 4'-hydroxyl group (pKa2=9.84+/-0.08 in puerarin and pKa=9.51+/-0.02 in 7-propylpuerarin); aqueous solution, ionic strength of 0.1, and 25 degrees C. In phosphatidyl choline liposome of pH 7.4, puerarin and beta-carotene each showed a modest antioxidant activity measured as prolongation of the lag phase for formation of conjugate dienes and using the water-soluble radical initiator APPH with effects of puerarin and beta-carotene being additive. For the lipophilic initiator AMVN, the antioxidative effect decreased for puerarin and increased for beta-carotene as compared to APPH and showed a clear synergism. A regeneration of beta-carotene, effective in the liposome lipid phase as antioxidant, from the cation radical by deprotonated forms of puerarin was demonstrated in 9:1 chloroform/methanol using laser flash photolysis with k2=2.7x10(4) L mol-1 s-1 for the bimolecular process between the cation radical and the puerarin dianion.     

Plant exposure to herbivore-induced plant volatiles: a sustainable approach through eliciting plant defenses

Journal of Pest Science - Modern agricultural policies across the globe are committed to a significant reduction in chemical pesticide dependency; however, pest management strategies are still...     

A native Zn-solubilising bacterium from mine soil promotes plant growth and facilitates phytoremediation

Journal of Soils and Sediments - An important bottleneck in phytoremediation technologies, which focus on extraction of potentially toxic trace elements, is the low solubility and bioavailability...